Siemens plc and The Stroke Association launched the third annual Stroke for Stroke campaign, in a bid to raise awareness of stroke and to highlight the benefits of a healthy diet and regular exercise in its prevention.

The campaign will run between 25 and 31 January 2010 and will challenge members of the public to row 10km (or more) during the week, helping to raise vital funds.

The campaign, a joint initiative by The Stroke Association and Siemens, the High Performance Partner of GB Rowing, is now in its third year and has raised over ВЈ70,000 to date by encouraging members of the public to complete a sponsored 10km row.

In addition to raising funds, the campaign aims to highlight that anybody, irrespective of age, can suffer from a stroke and that a healthy lifestyle, including a healthy diet and regular exercise such as rowing, can help to significantly reduce the risks.

The timing of the event at the end of January means that anyone looking to get back in shape after the festive season will still have time to warm up and shift those Christmas pounds before taking on the 10km rowing challenge.

Not having access to a rowing machine is no excuse, as the Stroke for Stroke campaign has teamed up with Nuffield Health to offer a free five day pass to their nationwide network of Fitness & Wellbeing Centres for everyone taking part in Stroke for Stroke Week.

The campaign is open to everyone across the UK by visiting strokeforstroke or calling 020 7566 1503.

Even those who can’t take part directly can still do their bit by visiting strokeforstroke and sponsoring their colleagues, friends and family or the GB Rowing squad, as they put the kilometres from their punishing training regime towards the campaign.

Olympic gold medalist, Zac Purchase, is backing the campaign, “Regular exercise is a key factor in staying healthy and reducing the risk of stroke, and rowing is an ideal, all-round, low-impact workout. It’s great to be involved in the Stroke for Stroke campaign and we hope to help raise plenty of money and awareness.”

Rachel Christie, Miss England and a talented heptathlete, is an ambassador for the campaign, comments: “A healthy diet and exercising regularly are essential for everybody. 150,000 people in the UK have a stroke every year so getting out there and taking part in Stroke for Stroke week in January will not only raise vital funds for The Stroke Association but also help improve your fitness and help lower your risk of stroke. My own family know first hand the devastating impact that a stroke can have. I am really passionate about this campaign and grateful to Siemens plc in their support of Stroke for Stroke.”

Andreas J. Goss, chief executive, Siemens in the UK, said: “Stroke is the UK’s third biggest killer and contrary to popular belief it can affect people of any age. Siemens is delighted to be able to use our partnership with GB Rowing to help build awareness, raise much-needed funds for The Stroke Association and to encourage people to take up regular exercise as part of an overall healthy lifestyle. I’ll be doing my bit, and encouraging our employees to do the same so please visit the website and have some fun taking part in Stroke for Stroke 2010.”

Head of Corporate Fundraising at The Stroke Association, James Beeby said: “Each year an estimated 150,000 people in the UK will suffer a stroke. Stroke for Stroke is now in its third year and a campaign like this is integral to raising awareness of how regular exercise and lifestyle choices can help prevent a stroke. This year we are anticipating an even greater number of people to get involved and support The Stroke Association’s vital research into stroke prevention and treatment.”

Notes

Siemens Stroke for Stroke Week is supported by The Stroke Association. Full details and a link to the justgiving website can be found at strokeforstroke

About Siemens in the UK

Siemens was established in the United Kingdom 166 years ago. The company employs 18,402 people in the UK, including about 5,000 in the manufacturing sector.

Last year’s revenues were ВЈ3.7 billion. As a leading global engineering company, Siemens provides innovative solutions to help tackle the world’s major challenges, across the key industrial sectors of energy, industry, transport and healthcare.

Siemens has offices and factories throughout the UK, with its headquarters in Frimley, Surrey. Siemens is the High Performance Partner to GB Rowing through to 2012.

For more information, visit siemens/

About Nuffield Health

Nuffield Health is the UK’s largest healthcare charity, providing health and wellbeing services through its national network of over 200 hospitals, wellbeing centres, workplaces and local authority facilities.

Nuffield Health also has the largest network of physiotherapists outside the NHS.

Since 1957, Nuffield Health has helped millions by putting the quality of care and satisfaction of individuals at the heart of what it does.

Since 2008, it has been pioneering a new approach to consumer health by integrating fitness, prevention and cure across its different services and facilities under a single brand, governance and management structure.

Source
The Stroke Association